DAL 200: 200 Years & 200 Trees

Mark your calendars – the DAL 200th Anniversary Tree Plant will take place on June 9, 2018. Volunteers are welcome to join the celebration. Led by urban forest researcher Dr. Peter Duinker, the DAL 200 Tree Plant project will see 200 trees planted around campus in partnership with HRM, Facilities Management, and the Office of Sustainability.

December 2017, three students, Racheal Cadman, Sara Solaimani, Nameeta Sharma came together to create a remarkable legacy to celebrate Dalhousie University’s 200th anniversary. Their presentation of “A Class Project on the 200 in 200 Dal Tree-Plant Project” was prepared as part of the Peter Duinker Class on Sustainable Urban Forest.

CFAME Connection reached out to Dr. Peter Duinker, Professor and Acting Director, School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Management, to uncover the back story of this innovative idea. What came back was a professional, detailed and carefully organized proposal designed to encourage community engagement in sustainable living.

CFAME Connection is pleased to advise that Dr. Duinker and the three students, Racheal Cadman, Sara Solaimani, Nameeta Sharma, have graciously agreed to share their project in a series of posts leading up to June 9, 2018 event. The following is an excerpt from the Student proposal:

In 2018, Dalhousie University will celebrate its 200th anniversary. The school has made a number of celebratory plans that will take place over the course of the year. To participate in the celebrations, the Faculty of Management will lead a day-long tree planting event on campus. A preparatory plan for that event is outlined here.

The Dal 200th Anniversary Tree Plant will take place on June 9, 2018. In honour of the anniversary, 200 trees will be planted on the Studley and Sexton campuses. Rather than plant trees haphazardly around the school, however, these 200 trees will be planted in small stands at strategic points where students will be able to enjoy them.

The stands will consist almost exclusively of tree species native to Nova Scotia, with one exceptional stand native to the Carolinian forest. These species were carefully selected and combined into groves that reflect the composition of forest stands growing naturally in Nova Scotia. This will not only increase canopy cover and beautify the campus for future generations, but will also be educational spaces, where students, faculty and employees of Dalhousie can learn about native tree species and experience natural forest growth. The tree stands are therefore called “learning groves”, to reflect their intended educative purpose.

Photo Credit: Dr. Peter Duinker

This post is the first in a series that will feature the DAL200 project that will see 200 trees planted around campus. This project is championed by urban forest researcher Peter Duinker and his students, in partnership with HRM, Facilities Management, and the Office of Sustainability.